Processing system and operating method of processing system

Abstract

A processing system of the present invention includes: a reaction container in which a substrate to be processed is placed, a process-gas supplying mechanism that supplies a process gas into the reaction container at a process to the substrate, a cleaning-gas supplying mechanism that supplies a corrosive cleaning gas into the reaction container at a cleaning process, a gas-discharging-way member connected to the reaction chamber, a heating unit that heats a specific portion of the reaction container and the gas-discharging-way member, a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the specific portion, a temperature controlling unit that controls the heating unit based on a detection value detected by the temperature detecting unit in such a manner that the specific portion becomes to a predetermined target temperature, and a temperature changing unit that changes the target temperature between at the process to the substrate and at the cleaning process. By means of the temperature changing unit, the target temperature is set to a temperature at which adhesion of reaction by-products to the specific portion may be inhibited, at the process to the substrate, while the target temperature is set to a temperature at which corrosion of the specific portion may be inhibited, at the cleaning process.

1 . A processing system comprising: 
 a reaction container in which a substrate to be processed is placed,    a process-gas supplying mechanism that supplies a process gas into the reaction container at a process to the substrate,    a cleaning-gas supplying mechanism that supplies a corrosive cleaning gas into the reaction container at a cleaning process,    a gas-discharging-way member connected to the reaction chamber,    a heating unit that heats a specific portion of the reaction container and the gas-discharging-way member,    a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the specific portion,    a temperature controlling unit that controls the heating unit based on a detection value detected by the temperature detecting unit in such a manner that the specific portion becomes to a predetermined target temperature, and    a temperature changing unit that changes the target temperature between at the process to the substrate and at the cleaning process,    wherein    by means of the temperature changing unit, the target temperature is set to a temperature at which adhesion of reaction by-products to the specific portion may be inhibited, at the process to the substrate, while the target temperature is set to a temperature at which corrosion of the specific portion may be inhibited, at the cleaning process.    
   
   
       2 . A processing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a cooling unit that cools the specific portion.    
   
   
       3 . A processing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a reaction detecting unit that detects a reaction between the specific portion and the cleaning gas at the cleaning process.    
   
   
       4 . A processing system according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 the temperature changing unit is adapted to change the target temperature at the cleaning process into a lower target temperature, when the reaction detecting unit detects a reaction between the specific portion and the cleaning gas.    
   
   
       5 . A processing system according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 supply of the cleaning gas by means of the cleaning-gas supplying mechanism is adapted to be stopped, when the temperature changing unit changes the target temperature at the cleaning process into a predetermined lower-limit temperature.    
   
   
       6 . A processing system according to  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a system controlling unit that controls the process to the substrate caused by the process gas, and    a management controlling unit that conducts an overall step management,    wherein    the temperature changing unit is integrated with the management controlling unit.    
   
   
       7 . A processing system according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 the management controlling unit is adapted to determine a introduction timing of the cleaning gas based on information sent from the system controlling unit, and    the temperature changing unit is adapted to change the target temperature by the introduction timing.    
   
   
       8 . A processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the cleaning gas includes a fluorine gas.    
   
   
       9 . A processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the specific portion is a portion of the gas-discharging-way member or a whole portion of the gas-discharging-way member    
   
   
       10 . An operating method of a processing system including: 
 a reaction container in which a substrate to be processed is placed,    a process-gas supplying mechanism that supplies a process gas into the reaction container at a process to the substrate,    a cleaning-gas supplying mechanism that supplies a corrosive cleaning gas into the reaction container at a cleaning process,    a gas-discharging-way member connected to the reaction chamber, and    a heating unit that heats a specific portion of the reaction container and the gas-discharging-way member,    the operating method comprising:    a step of conveying the substrate into the reaction container,    a step of heating the specific portion to a temperature at which adhesion of reaction by-products to the specific portion may be inhibited,    a step of supplying the process gas into the reaction container to conduct a process to the substrate,    a step of conveying out the substrate from the reaction container,    a step of setting the specific portion to a temperature at which corrosion of the specific portion may be inhibited, and    a step of supplying the cleaning gas into the reaction container to conduct a cleaning process to the reaction container.    
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 the step of setting the specific portion to a temperature at which corrosion of the specific portion may be inhibited includes a step of forcibly cooling the specific portion.    
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 the step of supplying the cleaning gas into the reaction container to conduct a cleaning process to the reaction container includes a step of monitoring a reaction between the specific portion and the cleaning gas.    
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein 
 the step of supplying the cleaning gas into the reaction container to conduct a cleaning process to the reaction container includes a step of lowering the temperature of the specific portion further more when the reaction between the specific portion and the cleaning gas is detected.    
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein 
 the step of supplying the cleaning gas into the reaction container to conduct a cleaning process to the reaction container includes a step of stopping the supply of the cleaning gas by means of the cleaning-gas supplying mechanism when the temperature of the specific portion is lowered to a predetermined lower-limit temperature.